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Volt/Ammeter meter ?


W+T

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4 minutes ago, Ratkatcher said:

The picture below my help just a little:

It shows the 'power' cable coming from the back of the meter - ready to connect to your own supply.

meter.png

ok got that bit, just removed the back and i see the connector for the tails/plug to fit to ;)

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Fit a 500ma inline fuse to the power cable supplying the meter - you should be able to get one from a 'proper' motor factors - site the fuse as close to the battery as you are able.

I assume you can select a channel when setting up the shunt assembly - but that is likely to be in Chinglish too :help:

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10 minutes ago, Ratkatcher said:

Fit a 500ma inline fuse to the power cable supplying the meter - you should be able to get one from a 'proper' motor factors - site the fuse as close to the battery as you are able.

I assume you can select a channel when setting up the shunt assembly - but that is likely to be in Chinglish too :help:

Bloody nora, takes me long enough to select a TV channel or work out how to turn it over. Give me power tool any day, then i am happy :)

That is a small fuse, i have a few spare blade fuse holders and loads of small fuses down to 1amp but no where near that small. EDIT i see i can not find blade fuse in a 500mA size, just glass, 

I was going to fit the tails to the power from the isolation switch which is less than 1/2m  away from the battery. 

Edited by W+T
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1 hour ago, W+T said:

Bloody nora, takes me long enough to select a TV channel or work out how to turn it over. Give me power tool any day, then i am happy :)

That is a small fuse, i have a few spare blade fuse holders and loads of small fuses down to 1amp but no where near that small. EDIT i see i can not find blade fuse in a 500mA size, just glass, 

I was going to fit the tails to the power from the isolation switch which is less than 1/2m  away from the battery. 

Why not just fit the smallest blade fuse you can (1a?), all it does in the main is protect the wire to the meter.

I guess if the remote display is connected by cable it gets its power through the cable. Looks to me like they have used a standard USB cable for between remote display and measuring boards, so a bog standard cheapo USB extension cable should extend it quite nicely. I guess if the cable is used instead of wireless then it should hopefully be plug n play.

Keep us updated how it goes. :)

ETA: Here's the manual, in chinglish I'm afraid:

http://www.mhinstek.com/pdf/VAC-1100A User's manual.pdf

Looks like the remote display can also be powered from its USB connector connected to a standard USB power adapter.

Edited by smileypete
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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Am I the only one wondering about how the wireless bit will work on a steel boat with a bulkhead between shunt & display. I know the OP has a GRP boat so it should be better in this respect than metal.

No you're not. Changing hats for a moment, the radio in the images above looks suspiciously like the Nordic 2.4GHz module (see e.g. http://yourduino.com/sunshop//index.php?l=product_detail&p=487), which doesn't have a great reputation for range. But for ~£20 it's worth a punt to play with.

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3 minutes ago, smileypete said:

Just a case of use the interconnecting lead.

And that might have some advantages over a conventional shunt arrangement, in that the wiring from shunt to display will be carrying data, not the mV level shunt voltage. I'm not sure whether it's actually a USB interface, or just uses USB cables.

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55 minutes ago, AndrewIC said:

And that might have some advantages over a conventional shunt arrangement, in that the wiring from shunt to display will be carrying data, not the mV level shunt voltage. I'm not sure whether it's actually a USB interface, or just uses USB cables.

From another ad it sounds like it's 485 serial, so won't talk to a PC but can do a lot more than the 5 metres that the USB PC protocol maxes out at:

'The following shows a wired connection, we have a standard USB extension cable (0.8 m long) if you feel that is not long enough, we can provide an optional 3-meter USB extension cable; since we are using a wired connection 485 communication, Therefore, the maximum length of this line can be extended to 1200 meters. '

ETA: A couple of youtube reviews on similar ones:

 

 

Edited by smileypete
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Just popped out to see what i can, not much as still getting over this dam virus i have had for the last week, maybe why i can get my head around it much.

Them vids helpded  a lot smileypete thanks.   for now though all i did was use the earth from the fuse box wheer as when i fit it i think i will go from the battery V- to the load and then from there to the v- in the fuse box.

I got radings which changed when i turned on the propex heater and lights etc so it must be doing some thing.

 

i will give  a better report when i am more compos mentis  

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I just got this one - I see no one has spotted it yet. It kind of matches my 240v power meter...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-0-200V-0-500A-Volt-Amp-Meter-Battery-Monitor-Charge-Discharge-12V-24V-36V-DS/171213089055?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Will be fitting soon so will report back - will be interesting to see how it tallies up with when the sg says 100% charged (probably where I have been going wrong all this time).

The shunt resistor is a really meaty thing - I was concerned about adding an extra connection at such a critical place, but looks like it'll do the job and then some, with nice sturdy metal and strong bolt holes... we'll see :)

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29 minutes ago, Johny London said:

I just got this one - I see no one has spotted it yet. It kind of matches my 240v power meter...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-0-200V-0-500A-Volt-Amp-Meter-Battery-Monitor-Charge-Discharge-12V-24V-36V-DS/171213089055?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Will be fitting soon so will report back - will be interesting to see how it tallies up with when the sg says 100% charged (probably where I have been going wrong all this time).

The shunt resistor is a really meaty thing - I was concerned about adding an extra connection at such a critical place, but looks like it'll do the job and then some, with nice sturdy metal and strong bolt holes... we'll see :)

Isnt that the same as in the OP link?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-100V-10A-50A-100A-Voltmeter-Ammeter-LED-Amp-Dual-Digital-Volt-Meter-Gauge-O1/182779882112?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=690093757393&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Edited by W+T
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1 minute ago, W+T said:

That one won't measure negative current i.e. charging and discharging. And is limited to 100A so won't accommodate those who want to run high power appliances through an invertor.

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Here we go then, i fitted it after a while  deciding where to place the meter. I was going to have it half way down the boat but there is enough gubbins going on there and where it is fitted near the main fuse box  and the it is near the shunt box now.

 

The shunt box is mounted less than a meter from the battery/s inside the boat and not under the rear deck where the batteries are. To wire up the shunt i just cut into the NEG cable from battery to fuse box and added a couple of connectors to join the NEG - feed  from the battery then the NEG - out to the fuse box. And then a POS + feed from a 1amp fuse in the fuse box to the VE + on the shunt box for power. Then the USB is in reach to connect to the main reader/box above it.

tn_20180103_123118.jpg.06e488c3f69e379dfc509fe2d5e19c43.jpg

 

 

Here it is showing the pow from the Propex as when first turned on  

 

tn_20180103_123110.jpg.433887f2d6a41a24fabfd7acd83de0f0.jpg

 

Not sure why but the small red indicator light at the bottom right is not on, but there is one underneath which you cant see here is on.

Bottom cable from battery and top to the fuse box.  

tn_20180103_123145.jpg.75ef9bbe8b99b059a6222fa8fcd9414c.jpg

I was going to wire the tales up to the a 12v fused point but as said there is no need as the USB cable reachs

 

tn_20180103_123214.jpg.66ac66ecb78f9aced6f0e2c6f59fad17.jpg

 

 

I still need to work out what all the functions are, so i am just getting my head around them all. It is all working fine as i know it. I mite get another shunt unit for the second battery at a later date, not needed though as i will be getting a new pair of batteries soon.  

So fater all the worry on how to wire this gadget up it was easy.....so he says lol. As said it seems to working.

Edited by W+T
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1 minute ago, Chewbacka said:

Well done.  I would unplug the tails from the box if you are not using them as it may damage the meter if the red wire touches anything it shouldn't.

good point, just havnt got around to it yet. Just popped out and set the battery settings properly and reading are spot on. not usre if i need the OVP and LVP settings though. I have set them at 10.7v and 13.6v. I dont get the battery level indicator yet either as when you set the battery up at say 100% the battery level indicator goes to 100%, and say set it to 50% then it drops to half.  It doesnt move, yet. I mite stick the heater and  lights on for an hour or so and see what happens. 

 

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On 03/01/2018 at 13:34, W+T said:

good point, just havnt got around to it yet. Just popped out and set the battery settings properly and reading are spot on. not usre if i need the OVP and LVP settings though. I have set them at 10.7v and 13.6v. I dont get the battery level indicator yet either as when you set the battery up at say 100% the battery level indicator goes to 100%, and say set it to 50% then it drops to half.  It doesnt move, yet. I mite stick the heater and  lights on for an hour or so and see what happens. 

 

How are you getting on with it now you have had it a few days? I've just ordered one to have a fiddle with, did it come with a usb cable if so how long was it and is it a std size usb both ends?

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14 hours ago, jocave said:

How are you getting on with it now you have had it a few days? I've just ordered one to have a fiddle with, did it come with a usb cable if so how long was it and is it a std size usb both ends?

Sorry to say but i havnt been on the boat sinc ei fitted it so power being used but i ma bout to go aboard and clean out time to see where i am with what needs to be done. I will set it up to the best of my knowledge ( so dont expect much ) and get back to you.

 

Th USB that is supplied is about 450mm long with standard large USB each end.

You can see the ends in the link to what i bought here.

s-l500.jpg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-120V-100A-Wireless-Volt-Ammeter-Power-Meter-battery-Charge-discharge-capacity/182211747540?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

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On 1/6/2018 at 20:41, linnit said:

Great cheap bit of kit..if it lasts..£25:)

20180106_152733.jpg

 

I see yours has the red CHG showing , so i take it that is in charge ? and showing -002.6A 

 

This was how mine was

tn_20180103_123110.jpg.3a2f2eeaaee00ef2cec6b88b4947d0c3.jpg

 

And now mine is like this so similar to yours but i am not charging as no charger connected.

Also nothing is turned on.

Can anybody explain that to me please and what is going on. 

20180108_150019.jpg.4ed6a5441bc7877db621d51258404a1a.jpg

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2 hours ago, W+T said:

 

I see yours has the red CHG showing , so i take it that is in charge ? and showing -002.6A 

 

This was how mine was

tn_20180103_123110.jpg.3a2f2eeaaee00ef2cec6b88b4947d0c3.jpg

 

And now mine is like this so similar to yours but i am not charging as no charger connected.

Also nothing is turned on.

Can anybody explain that to me please and what is going on. 

20180108_150019.jpg.4ed6a5441bc7877db621d51258404a1a.jpg

The display shows charge current as a minus figure and discharge as a positive figure..A guess would be the shunt is the wrong way round or there is more than one negative connection to your measured batteries..or you have set battery level to 100% when they are discharged at 11.5v

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23 minutes ago, linnit said:

The display shows charge current as a minus figure and discharge as a positive figure..A guess would be the shunt is the wrong way round or there is more than one negative connection to your measured batteries..or you have set battery level to 100% when they are discharged at 11.5v

It is still set up as at first with the discharge readings as in above pics. Nothing has been altered in the wiring set up.

There is only one Neg connection on the battery and also not been changed from first go as setting up.

I have just popped out to see whats what and i altered all settings from low to high levels and still no change.

I did notice though that when i cut all power and turned it back on the LVP ( set to 10.8V ) kicked in when the reading is 11.4V . With that thought the DIS readings came back only to go off for the CHG to come back again.

 

 

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